The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with how many debt collection agencies his Department has a contract.
Joseph Johnson
The core Department has no direct contracts with debt collection agencies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Jones on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions (a) he and (b) ministers of his Department have had with their Welsh Government counterparts on the potential benefits to North Wales of the Northern Powerhouse.
Andrew Jones
Ministers at the Department for Transport have regular contact with our Welsh Government counterparts which cover a range of transport issues affecting Wales. Transport for the North have also agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Welsh Government that sets out how they will work together to improve transport cross-border transport links, which will help to stimulate the economy of the whole of the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how the proposed cost savings outlined in the BIS 2020 programme have been calculated; and what estimate he has made of projected savings of relocating staff from the office in Sheffield to London.
Joseph Johnson
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has committed to delivering 30-40% reductions in the Department’s operating expenditure which equates to around £350m by 2020. Savings of this magnitude can only be delivered by changing the Department’s overall business model so that it is simpler, cheaper and better for users of BIS services. This involves reducing the number of offices, our number of partner bodies, and our headcount as well as rationalising customer support, grant giving and digital service delivery. The proposed move of policy teams into a single centre and proposed closure of the Sheffield office forms part of a larger programme to change our business model.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of recent military attacks by ISIS on the Nineveh Plain Forces (NPF) at Telliskuf; what political and military assistance they are giving to the NPF; and what assessment they have made of the NPF’s objectives.
Earl Howe
Following Daesh’s attack north of Mosul on 3 May, they were pushed back by Kurdish forces. The Kurds regained the lost territory with substantial Coalition air support, which included the use of RAF aircraft. UK assistance in Iraq is channelled, as appropriate, through the Government of Iraq or the Kurdish Regional Government rather than to any individual militia forces, and the UK has made no specific assessment of the objectives of the Nineveh Plain Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce measurable targets on reducing the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy was published in March and set out the Department’s targets for cycling. This included an objective to reduce the rate of cyclists killed or seriously injured on England’s roads, measured as the number of fatalities and serious injuries per billion miles cycled, each year.
We are in the process of analysing feedback received during the consultation and expect to publish the final Strategy this summer.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-09-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Olympic Games in Rio, and the potential adverse impact on funding for elite athletes of Brexit, what steps they will take to ensure proper funding for such athletes to support their successful participation in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
The London 2012 Olympic Games were a huge success with sold-out venues and the best British performance for over 100 years in winning 65 medals. The Games left a legacy of increased participation and world-class sporting venues which are now being used by our elite athletes as well as local communities.
The commitment from the Government immediately following the London 2012 Olympic Games to confirm and sustain Exchequer support for the UK Sport World Class Programme was a significant moment in underpinning the success of Rio, providing UK Sport, and the National Governing Bodies of sport, with the necessary financial support to invest in medal success across the Olympic and Paralympic sports.
I am confident that this success will continue at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, and through to Tokyo in 2020 and beyond. Since 2012, UK Sport funded athletes have given back over 18,000 days visiting schools and local projects as part of our commitment to inspire the next generation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding from the public purse the UK will contribute to the Better Migration Management programme.
Rory Stewart
The €46 million ‘Better Migration Management’ programme is part of the EU’s joint work on addressing unmanaged flows from Africa under the Horn of Africa component of the €1.9 billion EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. The UK has made no direct financial contribution to this programme. However, we have committed to a contribution of €3 million to the Horn of Africa component of the Trust Fund overall. That is in addition to the UK’s underlying contribution to the Trust Fund, which amounts to approximately 15% of the EU’s total €1.8 billion contribution, predominantly drawn from the European Development Fund.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the owners of Heathrow Airport on ensuring that that airport meets UK and EU air quality standards; and if she will make a statement.
Rory Stewart
Defra’s Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with Heathrow Airport.
Defra officials met with representatives from Heathrow Airport and the neighbouring Local Authorities to discuss the Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan as it was being developed. Since the Plan has been implemented regular meetings have taken place to understand the impacts of actions on local air quality.
Defra officials have also been in contact with Heathrow regarding the preparation of the Draft Air Quality Plan which sets out actions required to meet the EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the Greater London Urban Area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-12-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will conduct a national review of hydrotherapy provision.
George Freeman
NHS England is responsible for commissioning specialised neurological services, which includes services for patients with neuromuscular disorders. NHS England has published a service specification for neurological care, which sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. The specification can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/d04-neurosci-spec-neuro.pdf
Specialised neuromuscular care may include referral to local physiotherapy, hydrotherapy or rehabilitation if appropriate, however the commissioning of hydrotherapy services is a matter for local clinical commissioning groups. There are no plans to conduct a national review of hydrotherapy provision.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to regulate advertising by payday loan companies; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government has fundamentally reformed the regulation of the consumer credit market, including payday lending, transferring regulatory responsibility from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the FCA on 1 April 2014. The Government is concerned about consumer detriment in the payday market and believes the FCA’s, more robust regulatory system is helping to improve protections for consumers. It is important that consumers are protected from unfair costs. The Government therefore legislated to require the FCA to introduce a cap on the cost of payday loans – which came into force on the 2 January 2015.